Explaining Away The Fact That I Am Glowing
by JustYourAverageCasualFan
Summary: After COLS Team Good meet in the park to discuss tactics and Magnus invites a tall grey stranger. The inevitable happens. There is romance. There are guns, seraph blades and relationships. It is probably better than I'm making it seem. ( I apologise if I got the rating wrong this is my first fanfiction)
1. Chapter 1

Explaining away the fact that I am glowing

Chapter 1

After the startling discovery of a discombobulated Angel, the general consensus was that 'Team Good' needed to regroup. And get some fresh air.

So, after a few shakily written texts, bickering and kafuffle Jace, Clary, Isabelle, Alec, Magnus and – upon invitation of the warlock – Brother Zachariah arranged themselves tensely on a patch of grass in Central Park, New York City. Mai and Jordan, acting as spokespeople for Luke's pack and the Praetor Lupus respectively, arrived shortly and sat themselves down, nodding in greeting. They all turned to Magnus.  
"So…?" breathed Clary anxiously.

**Magnus' PoV**

I didn't like to show it but I was deeply shaken by Marsye's discovery. I held on to Alec's hand for reassurance as all eyes turned to me- young, determined and, though they might not like to admit it, scared. It was unusual for them all to look to me but, as this was my idea, they would expect me to chair the meeting  
"So, I know you all well enough to know that you'll want to go charging off into the distance to find Morgenstern and end it all" I started, voice dripping sardonic sarcasm. They started to protest but I held up a hand to stop them "And I'm all for the action, but seeing as about half of you are underage and so can't even drive a car- we could use a little help. So, especially as you all seem to be very in to the 'Who do you think you are?' thing and he's here" I continue, nodding towards Brother Zachariah "I think I might know someone who can help. Probably." I finish, swiping my phone unlocked and scrolling down my contacts list. Let's just hope she hasn't changed her number since last week.

**Tessa's PoV**

The Russian leans forwards, pushing the card towards me and – I notice with distaste- ogling my, ah, body. I am about to seal the deal when my mobile rings, I take it out of my pocket to look at the name-Magnus. Of course with Magnus it could be about a new pair of boots or a massive battle about to commence in Idris- you never know.  
"S'il vous plaît?" I ask the Russian coyly, batting my (or rather the Jamaican receptionist whose body I am using's) eyelids. He grunted his accent.

"Bonjour," I answered, hoping Magnus would catch on. I don't think anyone could hear my phone but you can never be sure so I didn't want his tone to be too confused. "Ça va?"  
"Màl. Très, très màl." Magnus replied sounding beaten. My stomach clenched. Something _must _be wrong for _Magnus_ to feel beaten.  
"Quel?" I asked, worried – almost completely forgetting the angry arms dealer who sat in the pretty Parisian street café with me.  
"I need to speak with you. Alone." He whispered so quietly_ I_ could barely hear it.  
"I'll call you back." I said as I snatched the card and took off down the cobbled street, my woollen coat flying behind me as a dozen of the Russian mafia took pot shots at me.

**Jace's PoV**

When Magnus hung up I asked the question on everyone's lips. "Why were you speaking French?" Clary- sitting as close to me as possible without burning her- looked at me like I was an alien. So not the question on_ everybody's_ lips then, I thought.  
"More to the point, who did you call?" she pried.  
A familiar mischievous glint had come in to Bane's eyes. "I was speaking French because I am used to speaking whichever language the woman uses, should she ever pick up the phone. Beyond that I have no idea and as for your question Clary…" He tapped the side of his nose with his forefinger, a smile tugging at his lips.

_I know. _Said a placid voice in our heads, making Clary jump, it was funny – she ought to be used to the silent Brothers by now- so I playfully nudged her elbow, tittering. Everyone rolled their eyes. Spoilsports.  
"Don't tell them." Magnus said, eyeing Brother Zachariah; however he had already continued speaking. _But Why?_  
"Because," Magnus said "Who better to catch a lying cheating beggar than a" He made a pinching motion "Slightly less evil lying cheating beggar?"


	2. Chapter 2- Introductions are in order

**Author's Note: ****I forgot/ couldn't work out how to put the disclaimer on the last chapter so…  
I own nothing. Characters belong to Cassandra Clare and all organisation names are used with poetic license. On a happier note, thank you to anyone who read or reviewed my story; it really makes my day! There may be some spoilers for CP2 (I actually haven't read it yet-I'm saving it for when I go on holiday- but this is based on what I inferred from COLS)**

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Chapter Two

**(Still) Jace's PoV**

Just then, a bush behind Magnus burst open to reveal a medium height girl of about 16 with frizzy brown hair and mist grey eyes. Nice. But I prefer gingers… FOCUS Jace, my mental voice reprimanded me for letting my mind wander when an unknown person catapults in to your secret meeting. Now I finally grasp the meaning of the term 'fool in love'.

The girl straightens, spinning in a slow circle as she takes in our shocked expressions. A small smile plays across her lips but she blushes, embarrassed. Turning back around to Magnus she says playfully "Good entrance?"  
"Would have been if you'd planned it." He laughs standing and briefly hugging the girl. Alec half stands, looking confused. I do too but mai9nly to put him out of his social awkwardness, others follow until eventually we are all standing. Well that was a slow reaction, my cynical side thinks.

"Everyone meet Tessa Grey or Herondale or Malcum or whatever it is now." He says, not without affection, gesturing to her. Wait, Herondale? I notice Magnus is about to continue when Brother Zachariah's voice says _Tessa. It has been a while._ Now, I was surprised about the Herondale thing but now I am very bemused. Tessa pales and whispers as she says  
"Jem."

**Clary's PoV**

"…anyone you would have died for?" I'd asked the Silent Brother. After a pause he had replied '_Two… 'So_ Tessa was one of them. It made sense. Why else would Magnus have brought Brother Zachariah? I studied the girl or- assuming she was a warlock or something along those lines that could live forever- technically old woman before her. She was staring at the Brother with an unconcealed love and yearning which I could well identify with at the moment, what with the whole touch-Jace-and-your-toast thing.

Speaking of my boyfriend… "Herondale?" He asked her.  
"Oh yes." Tessa said, tearing her eyes away from- I'm assuming- her friend. "Yes, I use it sometimes. I was in a relationship with Will. I suppose Magnus has mentioned Will?"  
"Yes." Said Alec curtly. Tessa gulped slightly and sent Magnus an apologetic look before turning.  
"You must be Jace. So you must be Clary." Her grey eyes portrayed no emotion but a carefully non-irritating level of sympathy "That means your older brother must be the bastard. Let's hope he gets impaled by exploding machinery." Well, that was…surprising.  
"Let's," Jace agreed, seeing that I wasn't going to answer "But why specifically flying machinery?"  
The grey lady met his curious gaze levelly. "Because my brother wasn't all that either."

Magnus continued to introduce everybody in groups: Mai and Jordan, Alec, Simon and (to everyone else's amusement and their acute embarrassment) Izzy. Regrettably, our little rendezvous had to be cut short when Tessa exited towards the nearest subway (as in train as opposed to sandwich shop) station, waving a manila envelope in the air by means of an explanation.

**Jace's PoV**

After Tessa left we all went our separate ways- Simon dragging Izzy to a comic shop, Jordan and Mai going off to who knows where to do something I am extremely jealous of, Alec and Magnus going to the warlock's penthouse suite, Brother Zachariah drifting off after gracing us with a melancholy mental sigh while Clary and I headed off to Taiki's hand in hand as the sky turned an inky black.

"You appear to be deep in thought." Clary observes curiously.  
"I am." I say, not caring to elaborate on my poetic daydreams.  
"Do you like Tessa?"  
"I don't know. I've only just met the woman." I reply honestly, although I couldn't say I hated her, my sixth sense told me there was something different about her. "Do you?"  
"I'm leaning that way. She wasn't cocky and she wasn't all judgemental." There was distaste in her voice and I recalled several incidents in which the wider community had been less than civil to Clary by association. "She's pretty as well." She added. The way she said it implied 'not a hooker'.  
Seeing a perfect opportunity to flirt I said "You know who else is pretty? Y-"

I broke off as we both noticed the same thing at the same time, her head whipped around, hand going to her belt in sync with mine. Together. Not so as the demon wrapped it's pincers around Clary's wrist and pulled.


	3. Chapter 3- Tonight just got interesting

Chapter Three

**Jace's PoV**

Without a second thought I grabbed the first seraph blade my hand touched and harshly cried its name, already lunging towards the beast. As I did so, Clary brought her knee up to snap the demon's 'wrist'- I'd taught her to do that- and I was just about to take another swipe at it when I felt a sharp tug at the back of my jacket. I managed to formulate on thought, (How did I not see that?) before I was pulled against a lamppost. It flickered out. As did my vision.

**Clary's PoV**

My boyfriend's glowing blade disappeared as soon as it came. Abruptly, I yanked a knife of my own from my hip and sank its flashing blade into the demon's chest, hoping that that was where it kept its heart. I got lucky as I dodged out of the way as the demon's bodily fluids streamed out onto the now slick pavement. At that point I realised that there was no-one standing behind me.

"Jace?" I enquired of the night, turning to scan the alleyway. Then I saw him lying on the floor unconscious (hopefully) if a pool of blood. My stomach turned. Of course the sight and smell of the varying demons surrounding him did little to help. Now, I don't normally swear but these were extenuating circumstances. So "Shit!" I exclaimed, appalled.

About ten differently shaped heads turned to look at me. Oops. I readied my blades and positioned myself in a defensive stance triangle style. _This night just got interesting_, I thought as the first demon advanced on me. It was small, bony with scaly bat wings, which it used to fly at me. Fast. But not fast enough as I effectively skewered its abdomen. It disappeared mid wing beat.

The next ones came in groups of two, wave after wave of demons- some of which were very hard to kill, might I add. Although I received multiple burns and even more cuts and scratches, I managed to thwart them all until there was only one left.

It was tall, needle thin and had scores of knife like spikes attached to its person. Need I say more? After a few minutes of frantic dodging, the demon finally exposed enough of its leathery skin for me to target. I brought back my arm and flung my last seraph blade, a few seconds after it entered the demon's neck the creature crumpled in on itself. However, my triumph was short lived as one of its needles pierced my underarm, boring through my flesh and shoulder blade and finally emerging in to the crisp night air. Shadowhunter or no shadowhunter, I screamed.

**Jace's PoV**

I regained consciousness a few seconds before an agonised scream rent the air. Clary's agonised scream. I would know it anywhere and the familiar way the sound of it seemed to tear through my soul. I dragged my heavy head around to look for her. There! She was curled up helplessly in on herself, like a small child sleeping. "Clary!" I tried to say, but I couldn't speak when I really took in the scene before me. The remains of demons across the tarmac. The blood around Clary. The massive great spike stuck sickeningly close to her heart.

All of a sudden, I was terrified; petrified that this really would be it. The end. She would die. But worse than that was the guilt. Because, I had done nothing about it, had I? I had done nothing while Clary fought demons, thus protecting me. In the back of my mind I felt a strange pride, judging by the amount of gunk there had been a lot of them and she had handled it well.

I heard a whimper, bringing me out of my self-ramifications. I moved automatically, relieved that she was still alive and guilty that I ever thought she wouldn't be- Clary was a fighter. I had reached her. Almost hesitantly, I found her pulse. It was there, thank God.  
"Clary, Clary I'm here." My voice came out shaky with emotion; my fingers weren't steady as rocks either. Pull yourself together man, I thought, you can't help her if you don't pull yourself together.

My girlfriend's eyelids fluttered and she moaned, her heartbeats slowing. No! I called who I always call if I need help. "Alec." My voice wavered "We need help. Clary needs help."  
"What happened?" Alec replies, concerned but self-possessed. His voice immediately calms me. Clary's pulse is still slow, but there.  
"Demons. Out of nowhere. I was knocked out- Clary fought them off. She got impaled. With a spike." I looked down to verify my description and gasped, a sharp hiss through my lips. Black traced Clary's veins- demon poisoning.  
"What is it? What's wrong with her?" My parabaiti reads me so well.  
"It's poisoned her!" I spat, as if to add insult to injury! "The spike itself goes through her underarm and right shoulder blade."  
"Out of the other side?" Alec sounded sick too.  
"I don't know. I daren't turn her. She's lost a lot of blood and her heartbeats are slowing Alec!" I'm starting to panic ever so slightly. I can't let her die.  
"Don't use an irazate; you could seal in the spike. Get some cloth, treat it like glass. We're coming, don't worry." With that he hung up.

I turned back to my love. "Clary- "I started, voice sounding stronger "help is coming. You will be ok. I'm going to treat your wound." I'd heard you should talk to people while administering first aid. I looked around for some cloth and my eyes rested on my t- shirt. How cliché, a detached voice in my mind thought dryly. I told it to stuff it while I helped Clary, stroking her paper pale check as she whimpered. The pain must be terrible for _Clary _to _whimper_.  
"Come on Alec." I muttered anxiously, glancing down the grey alleyway as her heartbeats stuttered under my fingers. My throat felt tight. _Come on. _

**A/N- I own nothing. I apologise about all the blood and guts, but it **_**is**_** an action scene and I **_**am**_** trying to distract you from my awkward way of writing vaguely romantic stuff. Thank you for reading or reviewing! P.S If you have any suggestions/thought it was terrible/ thought it was good and you have the spare time please do review!**


	4. Chapter 4- Just my luck!

**A/N – I haven't updated in a few days and I may not get time to in the next week as I am busy or the fortnight after that as I will be on holiday and though there will be wifi to use it I will have to prise the laptop from my brother…so sorry. Please read, review (if you have time) and enjoy!**

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Chapter Four

**Clary's PoV**

Seconds seemed like minutes, minutes seemed like hours as the blackness encroached on my vision and my hearing became more and more muffled. But I wasn't quite deaf yet and one thing I could hear was the chilling stutter of my own dying heart.

**Jace's PoV**

I was seriously on the verge of panic as the portal appeared and my parabati spilled out.  
"Alec," I breathed in relief "Where's Magnus?"  
"Never fear, for Magnus is here!" He said in a ridiculous voice, trying to alleviate some of the tension. The attempt was not appreciated on my part. I let him know with a frustrated sigh.  
"Ok, let's have a look at her." The warlock said looking slightly offended. "Oh." He continued once he saw Clary's wound. Oh indeed. "Alec, come with me, we're going to need more stuff."  
The Lightwood hesitated, not wanting to leave me, eyeing my head wound. It was getting worse with movement and stress.  
"Quickly!" Hissed Magnus and with that they were gone. _Great _I thought.

At which point I noticed the stench of landfill and the sensation of my heightened senses that could only mean one thing- demons. Just fabulous, they turn up mere seconds after the qualified Shadowhunter leaves. Just my luck.

I turn to the direction of the stench (behind me) and reach for a seraph blade. I am just about to utter the sacred name when something a bit different comes out. "Blood-y HELL!"

**Tessa's PoV**

As I make my way across the tiles in the direction the scallywag had gone I mentally cursed the patrons of the rooftop café I'd had to run across. I mean _obviously_ let the guy with the balaclava and ammo vest step in your crème Brule but when the person in the _heels_ yelling at the former to give up comes- feel free to stop them for a chat!

My little rant was cut short rather abruptly by someone yelling 'Hell'. That and a ruddy great demon which was about as tall as a building, as wide as a couple of zebra crossings and with the apparent consistency of fog. This night just got interesting. I abandoned my search for the card and rushed to the edge of the roof I was currently on, gasping at the scene below me.

It was Jace and Clary. The latter lay in the alleyway surrounded by a pool of blood, meaning the former was the one that yelled (which explains why the voice was familiar). He also appeared to have stuck a seraph blade in some limb or other of the creatures. However, it was coming in again for another attack and Jace appeared to be out of weaponry. Strange, but I haven't the time to dwell on other people's lack of weaponry.

I rummage through my pockets and come up with only one of my specially crafted bullets. Best not miss then. I pop it into the barrel of my gun, take aim at what I judge to be the demon's neck and fire. The bullet flies home and the creature staggers back but doesn't die-bugger- time for some controversial thinking.

**Jace's PoV**

I have to say, I was surprised when the demon reared back from the shot. Usually they just brush off bullets, but I haven't got time to think about that because it's coming back at us yet again. Unfortunately, I was still out of arms (even though I could have sworn I left with four blades) I did, however, have my steele and a plan began to form in my mind.

Thanking the speed runes already in place on my body, I scribble two strength runes on my wrist and stand facing the demon, feet apart and hands up like I'm in goal, in front of Clary thus enabling me to defend her if needs be. I'm a tactician at heart.

As the beast took another swing I brought my arms up in a cross, planning to thrown the demon's limb back at it. Alas, I didn't realise the demon had tentacles so I wasn't expecting one to slash across my abdomen, effectively winding me and causing me to double over in pain. Oh, how _well _tonight has gone.

**Tessa's PoV**

As I jump, I look down and see Jace write some runes on his skin and attempt to beat the creature with taekwondo. Well that's new. No time to admire his creative thinking though, as I was now on the roof of the building behind the demon who, absorbed in martial arts, had not noticed me. It must be quite tired by now and I've heard that when demons are worn they can be killed with knifes and such like. I haven't got any knives, but I have got MI5 standard issue footwear.

Thank you techies! I think as I rip off my heels and, holding one in each hand, take a few steps back then run. As I launch myself at the beast time slows down as it always does and I almost absently hope it doesn't move. My descent is stopped as my very own spikes break through it's hide, sinking into sickeningly soft tissue. Rearing back, the monster shakes violently and I lose my grip on the metal heels, flying (thankfully) onto the roof I had just come from.

Clutching my injured stomach, I dragged myself over to the side of the flat roof, not making a sound. SAS training pays off. I observe the demon's tentacle shoot out and whip Jace, winding him. He doesn't look very well and he sort of flops down with the sluggish movements that suggest he is losing consciousness. I think he tries to get up and I feel a pang of sympathy for the boy. He makes a strategic retreat and positions himself over Clary.

Seeing Jace shield his love I am transported to another era, the city smells replaced by that of dust and tea, the car horns replaced by the disturbing sound of metal being ripped apart by force and hailing down on the people below…Jerked back to reality, I am about to use my past connections and talent to my advantage when I am met with a strange sight.

Jace has raised his hand as if to shield them, the monster is taking another swing and then the strangest thing happened. Jace began to glow and then shine and then he is admitting such a pure, golden, bright light that I feel compelled to look down and cover my eyes. Then my ears because the demon is making such an inhuman tortured sound that I can't bear to listen to it.

When I eventually unfurl myself, I slide down the drainpipe and land in a half crouch, ready to act. But there is no need to- other than the two figures in front of me, the alleyway is completely deserted. Jace groaned and I hurried forwards to help him up, confused. Our gazes locked and he seemed equally befuddled. I could only form one vaguely comprehensible thought.  
"Dude," I said, slightly breathless "You have the force!"

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**A/N: By 'in goal' I am referring to football (soccer to those from the US) . Everything belongs to Cassandra Clare. **


	5. Chapter 5- Banshees and Bandages

**A/N- This chapter might be a bit short and will consist mostly of conversations. Thank you to anyone who has read/reviewed/followed/favourite the story, it's nice to know people are enjoying it. Any requests for characters or scenes (i.e. conversations – or not so conversations-between characters) PM me or put it in a review. **

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Chapter Five

It had been two days since Magnus and Alec reappeared in the alleyway, medical supplies, tallow candles and seraph blades in hand only to find the demon gone and Tessa applying emergency first aid to Clary, muttering to an anxious Jace about how she'd done things like this a hundred times. Two days since the Vancouver Institute registered an alarming dip in demon radiation levels. Two days since Clary slipped into a disturbed coma.

**Jace's PoV**

I sat by her bedside, hands nervously drumming on the cup which held the coffee Izzy had brought be a couple of hours ago. Of course, I can't stay with her all the time- with Sebastian about I have to keep up my training- but whenever I have spare time I come here and sit, watching her slack face while I play calming Mozart on my iPod. She lets out a sort of horrified gasp, scarring the living daylights out of me, then flooding me with relief. At least she's vaguely conscious. I rise, moving stiffly towards her head and touch her arm. No response. I try shaking her gently. Nothing. I search around in the infirmary supplies cupboard, turning up a small hammer. I lightly hit her knee with it, nothing happens; even her subconscious reflexives are still out. Yet she made that noise. This is alarming.

Five minutes later my siblings and I are staring, confused, at my girlfriend.  
"Well, I thi…" Isabelle is cut off sharply by another horrified gasp, but it is also a pained intake of breath as Clary's back arches and her eyelids fly up. For a moment, over the automatic kick of fear, I feel a flicker of hope, but once my mind processes the vacant look behind those eyes it dies. I look around to ask the opinion of Alec but I find they are not where they were before. Quite hilariously, they are both backing away, identical looks of slight revulsion (which turns to sheepishness once they notice that I have seen them) on their faces.  
"I, um, see what you mean." chokes out Alec weakly.  
"You don't say?" reply Izzy and I sarcastically. Although, I have to say, we both sound a bit shaken.

**Izzy's PoV**

I flop down on my bed. Well, that was disturbing. But I've made my decision and I can't go back on it now. So, as a first act of trust to follow up that decision, I'm going to call Simon.

"Hey." He answers casually, although there is that concerned undercurrent to it.  
"Simon," I say, to the point "I think I may be in love with you."  
There is a pause and I think he's going to hang up. "Oooh."  
What the heck? I tell him I love him and he goes _oooh _like he's seen some pretty fireworks?  
"What does that mean?" I ask angrily  
"It means" he explains calmly "That I return the sentiment but was merely taken off-guard by the fact that you had the sentiment." _Huh?_ Did I really seem that cold to him? Then I realise I'm on the phone and it picks the sound up when you mutter.  
"No!" exclaims Simon, like he was shocked by the thought "It's just, never thought you would really go for the whole declarations of love thing. I thought you would have waited for me to say and seeing as I was finding it hard to say…" He trailed off. _Well_, I thought, _that's Clary's fault_.  
"That's what Clary said."  
"Clary?" He asks sounding hopeful "You've spoken to her?"  
"No," I said, feeling bad for getting his hopes up "She said it before. She's still comatose, screaming like a banshee, the usual." I was aiming for lightness but it didn't come out right. I was worried because, I'm on a roll of admitting things today; she has become part of the family in her own, unique if really irritatingly_ cute_ way.  
"Ah," says Simon, clearly worried. Somebody speaks in the background. "Well, I've got to go. Um, l…l…argh! Bye!" He hangs up. So maybe it's not Clary's fault.

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**A****/N- Well, that's about what I can do for now. Can you guess what Isabelle's decision was?**


	6. Chapter 6- The evil one

**A/N: Sorry for the wait, I have been extremely busy lately. I hope that this plot twist will be unexpected. Also, I have a question and if anybody knows the answer I would be grateful if you PM me CP2 spoiler ahead- In the CP2 epilogue it is 2008 and Jem is Jem again yet in CoLS (which I thought was set in 2009-2010) Brother Zachariah is still himself. This confuses me so have I got the year in CoLS wrong? Sorry to bother, thank you to anyone who has shown even the most remote interest in this story. **

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Chapter 5 (or 6...)

**Tessa's PoV**

Strolling through the whitewashed corridors of MI5 I worried about yesterday's events. Years of service have given me a keen intuition with which I can gauge the shifty-ness of a situation and the demon ambush would be a ten on the Richter scale. Because that's what it was- a carefully planed, smoothly executed ambush. I heard footsteps behind me and turned around to see the physically unremarkable (yet still attractive) form of one of my best friends; comrade and all around good person Judy Buscombe.

"Have you got the card?" She asked, sounding harried, in her Brummy accent. I'd never say it to her face, but it was quite funny- a superspy from Birmingham.  
"I will do in a few hours." I am determined. I will not fail again.  
"Ok." Says Judy, just as determined as she falls in step beside me.

We popped into the supplies room on our way out so as we power down the busy New York thoroughfare I feel the comforting metal of a knife held in place by my bra strap and a gun on my hip, hidden by my flapping coat. Being a Foreign Affairs Operative is much easier in the winter.

The building we approached was narrow and to all intents and purposes looked like any other run of the mill polloution stained two up two down. That is if you excluded the withered flowers in the window basket , the barbed wire on the windows, the foreboding metal gates guarding the entrance. Wait, gates? Disguised, I had recently surveyed this area and there was not even a hint of a gate or a fence. I dashed across the street, narrowly avoiding a green ford focus, for a closer look, my partner following suit.

"Oh good grief, oh, don't look!" I exclaimed, momentarily loosing my professionalism as I took in the premises. There was no fence but there were hundreds of deadly black metallic spears, slightly mouldy, pinning our target and his cohorts to the ground in strange contorted shapes, death grimaces plastered on their faces. The surface was wet with tacky blood and I felt sick. Judy made a sound. Apparently she had looked, then, thus was feeling as disgusted as I. This is what comes of ignoring my better judgement.

"Well hel-lo ladies, nice to see you here. Not" Sneered a snide male voice to out left. _Oh great_, I thought as I turned and saw his snow glow hair, those sharp predatory eyes, _the evil one_. _Oh bloody great. _

**Clary's PoV**

I stood in a large field, stretching as far as the eye could see. Long grass blew in a gentle breeze and I cleared my red hair out of my face as I scanned the horizon. I saw two figures approaching, as they drew up in front of me I recognised them- Jace and Jonathan. The latter seemed to glow and in the dream I thought he was radiant, I started towards him, yearning to touch him. But then Jace was there, faint yet there, holding his hands out to me, a hopeful expression on his face. The sight shattered any will for Jonathan, I took Jace's hands and drew him towards myself. As I did so he started to solidify and once he had reached the consistency of a human Jonathan was no more.

**Jonathan's PoV**

They found it sooner than I thought they would but no matter- they found it.  
"Well hel-lo ladies," I drawled, noting recognition in the Downworlder's eyes "nice to see you here" that was true, it relieves a lot of stress when things run smoothly "Not."  
"Who are you?" asks the mundane. I don't answer, it would be like talking to a pet and not a very nice one at that.  
"I believe you know me. Ah well, I must be gone." Said I, twisting the ring I wore a bit and watching in amusement their shocked expressions as I went.

**Clary's PoV**

As soon as Jonathan faded away I opened my eyes. The first things I saw were Jace's hopeful face and the blinking florescent lights of the infirmary, then my vision was full of clothes as he hugged me, strong, warm arms being careful of the injury which presently made it's presence known.  
"We thought you'd never wake up!" exhaled Jace in a scolding-relieved-tired-worried voice. "I love you." His voice was so tender, caring and I was so relieved to see him.  
"I love you." I breathed as I kissed him, lightly, all along his nose and jaw.  
"It's good to have you back."


	7. Chapter 7- Everyone needs to talk

**A/N: I'm sorry for not updating recently, I have been extremely busy and also had writers block. From this point on things will get weird, you have been warned. P.S. TMI and ID belong to Cassandra Clare. Thank you again to those who are enjoying this story or has reviewed. Live long and prosper! **

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Chapter Seven

**Tessa's PoV**

Judy turns to me "Who was he, how'd he do that and as a matter of fact, where'd he go?"  
In these situations honesty is best. "Trust me Judes; you really don't want to know." Ok, when faced with an angry northerner honesty is to be used with supreme caution. "Honestly!" I reiterate, holding my palms out defensively "He killed a relative of mine." That much is true… He didn't stay dead for long though.  
Turning an alarming shade of red, Judy cries menacingly "All the more reason to knab him!"  
Judy is stubborn. Like me I suppose but like me she can be persuaded with words. "Look, comrade, I just need to pursue him on my own for now?" Who says flattery gets you nowhere? I need to get Judy and any other mundanes out of this. "You understand?" Judy will.  
As my friend nods and wanders off I take out my phone and call Magnus.

**Clary's PoV**

Pacing around the infirmary, my troubled expression must have fit in well. Magnus, we heard from Alec, had just received a call from a very irritated Tessa who had encountered Sebastian and wanted to know 'what he's interfering with my work for'. Whatever that means. Also, there had been no sign of Mum or Luke which was slightly concerning as their Clave business was meant to end at two and it was now half eight. More specifically, half eight the next day.  
"Clary!" _Great, now I've annoyed Isabelle._  
"What?"  
"Stop pacing, it's so distracting." _Look the other way then._  
"What have you got to be distracted from?" I demanded, peeved.  
Strangely, Isabelle seemed to steel herself before answering "Come and talk to me." Then she strode of down the corridor stiffly. It's not often you see Isabelle Lightwood get so worked up unless…I thought maybe it was about Simon.

Eventually, after finding Robert Lightwood in the library, Church in the greenhouse and some random Shadowhunter called Vic in the kitchen, we entered Missy's messy room. The owner of said room turned and started to talk at me.  
"Ok, I called Simon, said the 'l' word, he almost said it back but I think I know where we stand anyway. In other news, we're sort of nearly eighteen, there is a war on, you're the only person I know who's available and you're not such a bad person actually so do you wanna be my Parabaiti?"  
"Whoa, slow down. Too much information all at once." I gesticulate "You are dating Simon..?"  
"Yes." Isabelle says slowly, trying to mask her obvious frustration.  
"Really!" I practically squeal. Someone took my advice and good came out of it! Izzy just glares, although there is faint amusement in the set of her mouth. I cough. "You wish to become parabati with me?" She nods "Why?"  
"You're reckless and impulsive, sometimes you get in the way and you nearly got Jace killed on numerous occasions."  
"I don't think you quite understood my question I meant…"  
Isabelle rolled her eyes and carried on "But," _Ah, the but- one of human kind's greatest inventions _"You are brave and loyal and selfless and dedicated and all sorts of other things I want to be or be better at. Plus you are a very promising fighter. So how 'bout it?" Izzy always has known how to make a speech.  
_What have I got to lose?_ "Alright."  
Two black eyebrows shot up. "'Sure?"  
"Are you? I know_ I _wouldn't want to be walking in my shadow." I joke.  
"Ha Ha." Sarcasm. "But yeah, I'm sure."  
I hold out my hand "We will become parabaiti, deal?"  
She takes it. "Deal."

**Jace's PoV**

After Clary and Iz went out- heaven knows why- I was left with Alec . But not for long as two minutes later Sparkles and Lady Grey came in. Alec greeted them, or should I say Magnus, lighting up at the sight of him. But I was confused.  
"I didn't hear the doorbell, who let you in?"  
Lady Grey turns to me, a very slight mysteriousness playing across her features. "We let ourselves in."  
"How?" That's impossible. Only Shadowhunters can enter the Institute.  
"What you don't know can't hurt you." She replies, slipping in to a very slight cockney accent.  
I narrow my eyes. "Why so cryptic?" I don't really know whether I trust this Tessa woman. She_ did_ come when Magnus- who would never do anything to harm Alec- called her and she _did _save Clary's- and my- life. However, she didn't identify herself as anything in particular and she has somehow thwarted the Institute's wards.  
Then there's the fact that she looked me straight in the eye and said "You're wondering whether to trust me." _Can she read minds? _  
"Wha.." I trail off, actually nearly speechless.  
"Don't worry," she smiles "I can't do telekinesis, I've just seen that expression on many a Herondale. I think we need to talk." _Yes, I think we do._

Moments later, we are sat in the library, warmed by a hearty blaze in the fireplace. Tessa_ (if that's really her name) _took off her coat to reveal a smooth leather holster and a shiny black object. A mundane gun. Acting on instinct, I felt for a knife _if I can just debilitate her I can get Alec and Izzy. Of course, Clary will want to come but…_  
An easy laugh "Don't worry. It's not Tessa Grey in the library with the revolver." _Umm…_ "You know, Cluedo."  
"Cluedo?" I asked, completely missing the reference.  
"Never mind." She sighs "Basically, what I'm saying is I'm not about to commit mass homicide in a church, or for that matter, I'm not going to commit any homicide at all full stop." I'm suspicious, going off on tangents is a well-known trick, which I myself have used, to distract an opponent. "Look," Lady Grey places her hands flat on the table "I know my word is not enough to convince you to trust me around those you love but I hoped that maybe my scouts honour might be enough to get you to trust me around yourself."  
I know what she means. Everyone I love is perfectly capable of defending themselves but I do like to prevent any unnecessary harm coming to them. I thought of Clary, which annoyed me slightly. Don't get me wrong, being in love is great but it is irksome to take on so much more responsibility. Then I thought about what would happen if I shirked that responsibility and shuddered.  
"Will you trust me?" Tessa asks, biting her bottom lip. All of a sudden she looked younger, more accessible.  
"I'll trust you to explain."  
Nodding, she breathed out heavily. "Ok, when I was 16…"

The following tale was one of love, loss and spirit. I found myself sympathising with the protagonists, especially one William Herondale. I was related to him, though, so it was not really that much of a surprise.  
"So?" the woman who was apparently some relation of mine said voice slightly hoarse from the very long explanation.  
"I'll trust you enough to answer this question honestly." For this was really the crux of the matter "How did you enter the Institute?"  
She ran her hand through her hair nervously. "You won't like this."  
"Oh, is that so?"  
"Yup."  
"Stop stalling!" I snapped; I was dying of curiosity and I wasn't even a cat.  
"I'm n… Oh, never mind. You know, I thought you would have guessed." I think I irritated her "I took inspiration from an old friend of mine." She paused as if expecting me to jump in and say 'Aha, I thought that's how you did it' but I couldn't which was frustrating.  
"Oh well," Lady Grey sounded disappointed. Well stuff her. "I was working a good few years back and a man got in the way rather. He was quite severely injured and as I went to assist I saw a seraph blade in his belt. I was wearing gloves because… it was winter. Yes, it was winter and it was a small but deep wound in his stomach and as I applied pressure to the wound…"  
I cut her off. "Your gloves were covered in blood and you kept them so you could just waltz in here at will!"  
"No, not at will-well, yes, but I would never abuse them!" She protested, holding up her hands in half surrender.  
"It doesn't matter! You may not misuse them but what if someone else found them? Hmm?" I was getting increasingly angry.  
She was offended. "I've been alive for a hundred odd years and you don't think I would take some safety precautions? My friend charmed them, you can't use them unless you have good intentions."  
"Intentions can change." I all but snarled. I knew I was getting defensive but people I loved lived here, or all but.  
"Look, it's locked up and I'm a spy so..." _What? _  
"You're a spy?" I rose, fists clenched.  
"For MI5! So keep your hair on!" The Downworlder all but shouted.  
"What's that?"  
"Military Intelligence Five. I also work for the Her Majesty's Secret Service, The Federal Bureau of Intelligence and on occasion the Central Intelligence Agency and Warehouse 13. I may as well tell you, you don't know what they are."  
"Mundane organisations?" I'd heard Clary and Vamrat (aka Simon) mention some of them.  
Alarmed, the apparent agent sort of squeaked out "You know what they are?"  
I sighed. "Don't worry, I don't."  
"Oh, phew." Her gaze turned accusing. "You scared me there."

At that moment Magnus burst in looking flustered, covering the arcane volumes with glitter. Lady Grey opened her mouth to ask why but Magnus interrupted her.  
"That one." He was breathing heavily, pointing at me. "Alec."  
That got my attention. "What happened?"

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**Another A/N- I don't know if that's what the abbreviations FBI and CIA stand for and I don't think HM Secret Service actually exists but…**


	8. Chapter 8- Enemy Action

**A/N : Just, sorry. I am sorry for not updating, life got in the way. I'll try to make this one long, please review if you have 30 seconds (or more) spare time. I own none of the characters (apart from those that are OC, obviously)**

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Chapter Eight

**Jace's PoV**

Moments after he had burst in Magnus, Tessa, myself and Clary- who had inexplicably appeared- were running full pelt down the Institute's winding corridors. The Warlock came to an abrupt halt in the hallway in front of the Infirmary. Turning to me he said, in a very serious voice "Be prepared." I nodded.

Taking a deep breath I opened the mint green doors. The sick room was in complete and utter disarray. White bed sheets strewn and ripped across the floor, medical cabinets tipped over; pungent mixtures spewing out and creating a stodgy mess on the floor tiles with the soft down of the pillows and gold dust from the ornate ceiling fresco adorning the sculpted ceiling. The thing that shocked me enough to gasp was the figure hovering, yes _hovering_, in the middle of all of this destruction. His black hair spewed out around his face as if in an updraft, bright blue eyes wide open and aware, mouth gaping. Alec was screaming in pain. No wonder Magnus was in a tizzy, I was.

**Clary's PoV**

I'd listened to my boyfriend's_ conversation _with Tessa intently. I'd always been intrigued by a mystery and this woman was one and a half. On the one hand she was young, late teens at most, but to hear her tell it she was over a century old. I couldn't help but be a bit convinced though- it was something in the way she spoke, an age old intelligence mixed with the sparkling relish of the young at heart.

But I couldn't think about that then, I was on a mission to locate Isabelle and so far I was having no luck. Deciding to look where you would not expect to see Iz, I entered the garden just in time to see a whip of raven hair disappear around the corner of the gates._ Strange_. I took off down the street, bustling with an almost solid wall of people, elbowing and ushering quick apologies as I went.

I eventually cornered my parabaiti-to-be in a dingy looking alleyway filled with pests and beer bottles. Not an Izzy sort of place.  
"Iz, something's wrong with Alec, you need to come."  
She turned to me, ghost faced. Initially I thought it was because of the news I had just delivered but she simply held her phone out to me with one instruction, look. That I did, the text on the screen read: '_Iz I'm in trbl tyr cmin cnt say mch. Meet me in ally asap cm alone luv S' _I was shaking my head by the second line, despite the small knot in my stomach.  
"Issy, this isn't Simon's style- all the abbreviation, the poor grammar."  
She's glaring at me now. "I know, but if 'they' were coming for you wouldn't you want to be quick?"  
"Iz. This is a mean joke- someone stole his phone or he dropped it." I counter in my most soothing tone.  
She laughs derisibly "Yeah, yeah 'cost every couple has meets in a crummy alleyway and Iz is a normal abbreviation for my name." _ Hmmm… _  
That reminded me of a saying. Slowly, hoping it isn't true I say "Twice is happenstance, third time's… enemy action."  
My suspicions are confirmed by slow, condescending clapping. "Bravo, bravo Clarissa." Sneers my demonic brother.

**Magnus' PoV**

I'd only left for a few minutes but by the time I came back, sandwiches in hand, I knew something was up. The whole place had an overbearing aura of dark magic. When I saw him hanging there, _Alec_, aka my_ boyfriend_, hanging in agony I felt some of the strongest emotions I have felt for a long time. I decided that I wanted to kill the person that had done _that_. Lordy lord, I haven't wanted to kill someone in a long time. Even though I trusted that Alec, in his own unique way, would want to come back to me I knew that that need would be lesser than that primal reflex for his parabati. So I ran like Bolt to find Jace.

Now we were cautiously circling Blue Eyes, Jace and I. Tessa stood awkwardly off to the side, sturdy shoes relatively unaffected by the gunk on the floor, repeatedly offering to help. Eventually, the stress got to Jace who snapped sarcastically "You want to help? Go get one of your spy gadgets and unfreeze him!"  
Tessa, insulted and, I think, as I reminded of Will retorted "You wanna help him? Call the Ghostbusters!"  
Jace was about to spout out a tirade of insults when I decided to intervene. Jace was a bit harsh. "Harry Potter would be better."  
"Harry Potter? What could he do? It's nothing like immobolis!" Replies Tessa, somewhat teasingly.  
At the same time Jace replies "Who the hell is Harry Potter?"  
I wink. "Harry is a fictional wizard who defeated the" wink "also fictional Lord Voldemort."  
"Along with the Order of the Pheonix and the rebels!" interjects Tessa just as there is an almighty crash behind us. I spin around just in time to see Alec's feet disappearing. Through the massive hole which had appeared in the infirmary ceiling. _Damm_.

**Sebastian's PoV**

My plan is going swimmingly. The lightwood girl was in the alleyway so I'd soon have some former circle members interested and even better Clarissa was there. There wearing baggy jeans and a jumper but nether-the-less there. I'd have time to change her dressing inclinations later. "Aren't you pleased to see me?" I ask her, I thought I saw a flicker of something in her expression when she turned around but now she is merely looking irate. "I've come to take you home." I tease, baiting her.  
She turns bright red and snarls in a sexy, but epically failing way. "Home is where the heart is and my heart is definitely not with you!"  
I sigh. Back to this again. "Why do you repress your emotion? Clearly you don't object to incest." Clarissa just freezes whereas her little parabaiti leaps directly at me. I swat her off and she crashes in to the bricks to her right.  
"Bloody bastard, you!" She grinds out at me, attempting to rise. Before Clarissa's fist can connect with my face I kick her little lightwood in the head, concussing her.  
"Now Clarissa," I say sternly gripping her fists and pressing my body up to hers, feeling the warmth and determination rolling off of her. "I expect you to rethink your choice of parabaiti."  
Clarissa splutters as I pull out my device. "What's that?" she finally breaths out.  
"This is plan b." I say as I rub the correct spot. I feel a sharp pain in my side; apparently my sister saw her opportunity to escape and elbowed me. Before she could take two steps I grabbed her and activated my tele-ring. As we melted in to oblivion I heard the Lightwood shriek an insult. I was glad she remembered. I wanted to disturb the youths of the New York Institute. As some would say, psych them out.

**Alec's PoV**

I woke up with a pounding headache, dry lips and bruised legs and feet. I was lying in the twisted coarse white blankets of a hard white bed in the middle of a claustrophobic room. The four walls were also white and there were two doors on two opposite walls, in front of me one was wooden with a long brass handle and as I turned around I gulped. This door was iron, at least 10cm thick and had no handle on this side but one small rectangular triple-glazed window at the top. It was a prison door. Keeping me, the prisoner in. And I sure as hell had no idea how to get out.


	9. Chapter 9- Wher'd You Go?

**A/N: I will probably update at the beginning or at the latter parts of the week. All reviews appreciated if you have time and a keyboard of some sort (they help). Enjoy! By the way, I don't own the characters. **

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Chapter Nine

**Clary's PoV**

Having all the molecules in your body taken apart and re-arranged somewhere else is not fun. For about two seconds I was too shocked to move. Then my brain started working, registering the dull grey walls of the stretching corridor I was in, the cold, hard whitewashed floor, the circular lights set at an even spacing along the ceiling. The tough looking steel doors set in to the wall below them. The substantial bolts on the near windowless doors. The psychopath grinning at me from a very uncomfortable 30cm distance. _Oh boy, is this going to be fun. _

"Ah," laughed Sebastian menacingly, grabbing my wrists in a python hold "you look shocked little sister. What you just saw there was teleportation, a technology way beyond the capacity of your Mundanes' brain."  
"I know what teleportation is. Everyone does, it's in practically every sci-fi film out there!" I pointed out, ever so slightly cringing away from Sebastian.  
"But do you know how to use it?" Sebastian smirked, yanking me closer to him. His breath sent the skin on the back of my neck crawling.  
_Damm, he has me stumped! _"No." I answered begrudgingly when he twisted my wrist.  
"I thought so." Sebastian inhales; he then grabs my shoulders and starts to lean in…  
I kicked him in the groin. Spin around to run… he's too fast, grabbing me around the waist and hoiking me up, he throws me against the wall. I swear, every bit of tissue in my body will be bruised tomorrow. _If I live that long.  
_"You know," I manage to gasp out "You should make a new alliance… with walls. They help you enough."  
Sebastian brings his leg backwards and, as he releases it and it connects with my head I hear him spit "Humour." like it was the worst explicit on Earth.

I wake up on the floor. I know it is the floor because it tastes absolutely vile. I groan, blinking rapidly to try and clear the spots from my eyes.  
"Afternoon." A familiar voice says.  
I freeze. Then I struggle up. "Alec?" I ask as he eventually comes in to focus.  
His looks pale and there are red rings around his eyes, he lifts his eyebrow "Yep."  
"Tired?" I ask, scrabbling for the headboard of the bed to right myself.  
Nodding, he says "They or he or it or whoever runs this place, wherever this may be never turns out the lights. I can't catch a wink of sleep." Seeing me wobble again he asks "Do you want to sit down?"  
Gratefully, I flop down onto the scratch sheets. "Maybe that's the point."  
"The point of what?" he asks.  
"Of the lights; to keep you awake, tire you so much you can't think straight. To prep you for…something." I don't want to be a naysayer and voice my concern.  
"Torture?" Alec gulps.  
All I do is sigh. Changing the subject to an equally important but slightly less depressing topic, I ask "So, how'd you get here?"  
"That, my friend is a very interesting question and one to which I have no answer."  
"Ah."  
"Ah, indeed."

**Jace's PoV**

After Alec disappeared we froze in shock. I never thought Alec would be taken away from me, to be honest I always thought I would be taken away from Alec. To love is to destroy. I paled more, I think, when I considered that Alec may have been harmed because of me.  
Tessa eventually broke the silence "I'll go and get Izzy then."  
"How? You don't know where she is." I sighed.  
Tessa pulled out a sleek silver object. "Say hello to my friend Rodger the cyber spy. He'll find Izzy." With that she clicked a button and sat down.  
"You sat down." I was trying very hard to keep my temper.  
"I know." She murmured in reply, staring at the screen. I was about to strangle her when I saw her well groomed eyebrows pull down and she said "Clary went after Izzy didn't she?"  
I don't know why but the fire within me stopped smouldering and blew out. "Yes." My voice was tight.  
Lady Grey turned her piercing stare on me "There is no chance that Izzy is a particular fan of stage makeup and is also hypoglycaemic is there?"  
Magnus made a sort of tittering noise and I scoffed "No."  
"Right-ho, come on." She said calmly, standing up and striding out of the room.

As it happened, we walked into my sister who was running down the street covered in blood and murmuring something about Max. I knew immediately that something was wrong.  
"Iz, " I asked worriedly "Are you OK? Where's Clary?" _Oh, please let Clary be alright… _  
"Sebastian." Izzy chocked out through her tears, I repeat Izzy's _tears _"Come."  
I nearly overtook her as we ran back down the street.

We eventually arrived in an alley, filled with beer bottles and the aroma of urine. There was, I noted with dread, a substantial amount of blood on the floor as well. The sense of foreboding grew as Issabelle explained that she had left the institute in a hurry after receiving a mysterious text from Simon, Clary had followed her with news of Alec- at which point Tessa took up the task of explaining the fact that our brother had flown away in to the sky- and then Sebastian had appeared. My hands were in fists and my whole body tensed up as Izzy explained how he had taunted them, how they fought, how the swine had grabbed clary and absconded with her into thin air. _I swear, I will kill you Jonathan Christopher Morgenstern, I will kill you._

**Tessa's PoV**

Jace didn't look pleased. I couldn't blame him, honestly – I wouldn't be too happy if two of the people I was closest to disappeared on the same day at roughly the same time under mysterious…  
"He took them both!" I burst out. Three pairs of eyes swivelled over to me, like they were noticing me for the first time. I carried on regardless "Sebastian must have taken them both, in such a dramatic way and at the same time so they looked like he couldn't have taken them both because he was here . "  
"He was here." Issabelle pointed out like I didn't know that.  
I nearly face palmed. "I know he was here, but he had a teleporter and half the Downworld on his side, don't you think he could have worked something out?" I could see in their faces that my companions – OK, the people I have invited myself to tag along with- are considering my theory. But considering is not usually enough.  
"How can I convince you?" Dangerous words, but sometimes they must be said.  
"Prove it." Jace said. This time I did face palm.  
"Yeah, like that's the most stupid thing anyone's ever said today, or done. In fact, rather, _not done_." He retaliated.  
"Well, excuse me for not knowing exactly what to do at every moment of every single day." I bit back, irritated by the fact that Jace wasn't even trying to co-operate with me.  
Before it could escalate to all-out war, Magnus intervened. "Okay, stop bickering and let's get going and actually work out where Alec has gone."  
"And Clary!" Jace practically growled, obviously in a cantankerous mood.  
"Yes lets."  
_**  
**_


	10. Chapter 10- Onwards Charged The 600

**A/N: Thank you to anyone who has reviewed or followed or favourited. More reviews would be lovely, if you have time. I do not own the characters. Sorry for not updating last weekend, but I eventually got inspiration. By the way, Clary and Alec are only friends though it may give the impression they are something more. **

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Chapter 10

**Jocelyn's PoV**

It was meant to be a routine meeting. We had to bring Simon in so they could make sure the mark of Cain had disappeared- purely for bureaucracy's sake. We didn't tell Clary because she would probably throw a righteous fit about human rights and how her best friend had no part in any of this. I had a feeling, like the tug of a rope, somewhere deep in my stomach as I sat in the Hall of Accords listening to the droning of some grey haired, tie-dyed twit who strongly believed that Hell would ascend in the next few years. They must have been approaching the city then.

The tug was joined by the unceasing tapping of my fingers as a pudgy woman quite literally read the riot act on the dais in a bored voice. I glanced to my left, Simon was twitching too. So was Luke. I expect they were circling by then, cold, analytical, trying to suss out an entrance. By the time the inquisitor rose to address the council, my eyes were at the Wimbledon Final. That's when they came, an army of a thousand. An army of a thousand serial killers, an army of a thousand demons. We were of 100- 200 at most, mostly over the age of 45. We barely stood a fighting chance.

We tried though, drawing out blades, changing to wolves, fangs out, magic flowing. Slashing, cutting, stabbing, kicking, clawing. Swirling masses of black, purple, red- colours that spoke of passion, death, and superiority accompanied by talons the size of machetes, incisors the length of a forearm. I'd fought and I'd won, I'd fought and I'd lost, I've been stuck in heavy stalemates but none of that compared to_ this_. The world spun to tune of my irregular, desperate heart, the scent of my salty sweat, the sweet and musky stench of decay. My brain was working overdrive yet _not at all_, my body to its max but _not at all_. However, above all this something deep inside of me, some innate, primal part of my being was rejoicing in a glow of golden light, tinged with shots of crimson blood and the thrumming strains of something glorious- the death of my opponent. One after another and another they fell- yes, my body was wearing down as they took parts of me with them , yes, my efforts were not really having that much effect overall but who cares? What mattered was that they_ were_ falling. So was I, as a matter of fact.

**Luke's PoV**

It finished. That was all I knew, for a moment. It was finished and I was alive. Then my brain fully tuned in to the situation. I recalled, as I rotated slowly- absorbing the once fine Hall coated in a layer of gore consisting ichor and bloody body parts, that this was always the worst part when we raided with the circle, the horrible anticipation as you came out of the fight and looked around, hoping nobody was hurt, hoping Jocelyn wasn't hurt. As she was, a few feet from me, sprawled out on the floor, joining my heart.

I lunged down, heartbeat picking up and putting down all at once, and grabbed her wrist, frantically trying to distinguish the quite flutter below my fingers from the heavy thudding in my ears.  
"Luke?" I heard a voice, male but young and filled with concern. Simon, I realised belatedly that I was relieved he was OK.  
"Yeah?" My voice was gruff from the tension.  
"You're still half dog." So maybe not all tension then, the sane part of my supplied.  
I felt the familiar peculiarity as the excess hairs and nail retracted "No I'm not. Go and get a medic please Simon."  
"O.." Simon began, but then his tone turned choked and slightly scared. "Oh. Luke, there's … um, no point." And there wasn't- the flutter had disappeared.

**Alec PoV**

Well this was new. After Clary had come she'd poked around a bit and plonked herself down on the bed and we were now playing a game which mundies called Truth or Dare, except only truth because you can't do dares in a prison cell. As I said, something new.  
"So," she asks me, lips pursed in thought, "did you ever get bullied?"  
I freeze because I did and I suspected that she didn't so she'd probably laugh "Ummm…"  
Clary smiles knowingly and I'm about to bite back in irritation when she says "It's alright, I did."  
"Really?" My voice is squeaky in surprise.  
"Yeah, I wasn't popular."  
"Why?" I wondered why- she had made Izzy like her and she'd even made _Jace_ fall very much in _love _with her- that, I would say, is a sign of popularity.  
"Well, my hair is red. People, for some reason, think red hair is bad. Also, my skirt was actually below my bottom, I wasn't all that interested in sex and I actually did work in class."  
"Oh." She looked a bit embarrassed and her eyes were downcast and for some reason I felt I ought to cheer her up. "I like red hair, it shows passion and I think dressing properly and focussing is good- it did me well in my exams at school. Also, I would have a fit if Izzy had sex at that age."  
"Izzy's never done it?" She sounded surprised, I was mildly offended on behalf of my sister.  
"No."  
Clary hurried to cover up "Not that I thought she would do it…frequently, just that I thought, you know, it's legal for her and there must be a contraception rune. I mean, if all else fails she could use a condom, obviously. I mean, she likes a party-she must have got absolutely hammered before."  
We were both blushing furiously by the end of her speech. What she said was also quite plausible… my sister and I would be having a talk when we got out of here. If we got out of here… But no, Jace and Magnus might not have known where I went but they would know where Clary went, or at least who took her and my Parabaiti has always been protective of this particular short redhead, like he is of his family- in short, he'd find us.

There was an awkward pause for about five minutes as I considered these factors in our survival, out of nowhere Clary said "So, we're being watched then?" It sounded casual but it was delivered with such a light air that Clary was either oblivious to our predicament, a total maniac, or was trying to send me a message.  
"Who knows? Maybe there is a massive cat up above gazing down on us with spite." I replied just as airily.  
"I dunno, it's possible." Joked my cellmate. Translation_: Is he watching?_  
"Nah, where would the milk bowl be_?" Not as far as I know, there are no obvious cameras._  
"Yeah, but if it was a ninja cat it could make one out of nowhere." _But he could make a rune.  
_"I suppose, but I would ninja it away again, just to prove you wrong."_ I could make a rune to check _"Except," I added as an 'afterthought' "I don't know how to ninja." _I don't have my stele. _  
"Ninja is perfectly acceptable verb and so anyone should be able to do it." _I don't have mine either, we'll have to find one.  
_"How do you work that one out then?" _How would we get one?_  
"I'll get back to you on that once I have the papers." _I don't know yet but I'll tell you when I do. _

_Well, at least it is a plan of sorts. Better than nothing._ I thought, actually slightly impressed. When I first met Clary I would have thought she would shrivel up and cry in a situation like this, I just hoped she would prove me wrong.


	11. Chapter 11- Missing Backstory

**A/N: I don't own TMI. Thank you to anyone who is supporting this story in any way, someone favorit-ed it but I deleted the e-mail so I don't know who. By the way, no offence to any fascists but I imagine the example clary would have in her head would be Hitler and he hardly went about bringing together German speakers in a friendly, co-operative manner. **

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Chapter Eleven

**Izzy's PoV**

When we reached Magnus' apartment I had had a bit more time to regain my composure but the mood was still very sombre and I found myself thinking wistfully about Simon's easy humour. But no, I couldn't think about that now- I had a brother and Parabiti-to-be to find. The apartment was cosy but resembled my bedroom in its disarray, warm wooden chairs littered with stylish silk throws and soft goose feather pillows along with a rather disturbing pair of CK boxers...  
"Ok," Tessa started throwing herself down on to one of the navy blue plush armchairs. I imagined the fluff inside was itching to burst out with the force applied in the action. "We have two… members…missing under suspicious circumstances, three AWOL and the rest of you really need a good nights sleep. I'm open to suggestion."  
I recognised that superior laugh "Who put you in charge, Lady Grey?" asked my brother, forever calling people names and taking orders from one person- himself.  
She turned her steely eyes on him, mouth set half between an unforgiving line and an amused half smile "I am goodness knows how many years old, you are 17, 18? Correct?" His eyes narrowed "I have spent a good deal of those years traipsing all over the world tracking, outwitting and capturing hardened criminals through deception and frugal use of Park- au. You spent over half the years of your life chasing demons down alleyways and studying herbs. Correct? "  
His mouth turned down in to a half smirk "Mostly the demons. Are you finished yet?"  
"Nearly. " This time it was Tessa's time to smirk "But you're not a Commander in three armies are you?"  
"I wouldn't." said Magnus, observing Jace's hand twitch "I tried once- I ended up suspended by my breeches from a Parisian hotel balcony."  
I let out the laugh I had been holding in.  
"Oh, shut up!"

**Clary's PoV**

I was glad and a little surprised that Alec got my hints. It made things a lot easier. A short while after our conversation, the cell door burst open revealing a high and mighty Sebastian holding a plate of stale bread and water, flanked by two turned Shadowhunters. One, the blond haired and wiry woman, held out a couple of spoons.  
Despite the fluttering of my heart, I decided to play it difficult "Spoons? Do you know what different types of cutlery are used for? Or are you trying to insinuate something?"  
Alec looked confused by the last remark. Obviously not used to mundane slang then. Sebastian just stared at me then said slowly "I am not here to play games with you Clarissa. At least not that kind of game."  
I glanced to Alec, who was covertly looking at the still exposed corridor. I think this partnership will work. Swallowing back bile I reply, with just the right hint of playfulness and uncertainty, "What sort of games do you want to play then?"  
I have the satisfaction of seeing his eyebrows shoot up before he says smoothly "Oh, wouldn't you like to know?"  
"OK!" Alec interrupts loudly, slightly red for a number of reasons I can guess "What are you doing here?"  
Sebastian turned to my cellmate with loathing, looking past his nose. "I don't answer to… _those_ like _you_."  
Alec's face contorted in to a mixture of blazing anger, hate and hurt. I leapt up, finally losing my patience with _it_. I didn't care that it may've blown the whole plan out of the water, washed us up on a rock even further out than the one we were already on, I let the tide flow "What makes Alec different to you then? Apart from the obvious that you are _evil_ and he isn't? Hmm? What the hell gives you the right to treat him like that? Well come on then, say it!"  
He turns his face to me, a faint look of disappointment plastered on it "He is unnatural. It is not normal."  
I laugh. "You're not normal! And you still haven't answered my question! What makes you treat him like a piece of crap?"  
It raises its eyebrow, the disbelief mingling with irritation. "He is tainting the shadow hunter blood by laying the same sex. He is gay!"  
Alec growls and I'm screaming by now "You are a fascist homophobic dick!"

As soon as the words are out of my mouth I feel a force on my trachea. My demonic, messed up brother's hand holding my throat to the wall.  
"Never compare me to a foolish mundane who couldn't even keep a small section of his people in line!" He spat, his saliva spraying my neck and stinging slightly. Suddenly, his head whipped to the side, a spray of blood erupting from the crack in his skull.  
"For insulting me and the rest of the gay population." Snarled Alec, I kicked Sebastian while he was down and he grabbed on to my leg, yanking my south. I stopped mid fall as Sebastian's cronies finally snapped in to action, both having to pin down my flailing arms.  
Alec brought his foot down forcefully on Sebastian's stomach, grunting "For attacking me and my friend."  
I felt oddly touched- I assumed he wasn't talking about mug number two, who's oafish hand were clamped on my right leg and arm.  
"Idiots," I sighed as I fell backwards "You're meant to do it this way." I finished as I pushed up to a stand and kicked the pair in the back., sending them sprawling.

**Jace's PoV**

It turned out none of us had any ideas anyway or the information Tessa needed so we decided to go to sleep. Izzy had claimed the spare bedroom; Magnus moped off in to his and Miss. Money- whatever-it-was-from-that-film-someone-made-me-wat ch-once had slouched off in to the night. Maybe she was going to do some frugal gymnastics. So, as seemed to be the constant now, I was left surrounded by other people and completely and utterly alone.

Just as I was drifting off in to a light doze on the sofa, a grainy picture began to form in my mind. At first I was standing in a black void, surrounded by nothing but somehow floating. Then, slowly, a rectangular screen appeared, flickering with snow. After that, images started to appear- images of plight and pain, things like Hiroshima, Pompeii, the raids of the Circle, starvation, the Holocaust. Also things I'd never heard of and will forget like the Time Wars, the Earth blowing up along with all civilisation but two Mundanes, the Death Eater's reign of terror.

Then it settles on one image, an image of a girl and a boy. The picture clears and I can identify them. I know them. My heart skips as I recognise the redheaded girl in the centre of the picture and I long for her- for Clary. Then my body fills with relief as I realise that she is OK and Alec is too. My relief turns to apprehension and pride as she rips out at the demon boy, standing up for Alec, and accuses him of being homophobic. Then I gulp as Sebastian presses her up against the wall, but the knot in my throat is eased as my brother comes to the rescue. They fight Sebastian and his cohorts- disgraced Shadowhunters- and I smile because they are winning. And then they're not. And then Clary is captured. Sebastian is crazy. He brings out a knife. It is made from demonic metal, from Lilith. He stabs Clary. I go cold. She can't be healed. She is dying. I want so desperately to help. So desperately but I'm so cold. She and Alec are alone. Alec lowers her to the floor. He is biting back tears. I am sub-zero.

But then I begin to warm, heat, glow, boil, soon I'm radiant in white heat and through the pure misty haze I see that_ she_ is glowing too. Clary is writhing on the floor and all at once I can feel her and Alec's fear and hope and confusion but I somehow know it's all alright because she is healing and I am, somehow, doing it.

I wake up feeling glad- confused, yes, but so, _so_ glad.


	12. Chapter 12- The lonley Time Lord

Chapter Twelve

**Tessa's PoV**

In the beginning it was just me. Me, myself and I, but then I and me and myself all had friends and we were happy. Next, though, _he_ died and myself decided that I had never been with others and it was only me. So, now I'm a lonely wander, drifting and occasionally finding a purpose. As I ambled down the lonely waterside pavement, I heard a sort of warping, throbbing sound ringing out across the water.

Turning around I saw a quaint navy blue telephone box, the sort that you would often see in the 60's, if you weren't too high to register your surroundings. From the box, emerged a man. A youngish man with curly dark hair a dickie- bow and a crumpled tweed suit.  
He nodded at me "Hello, Miss Gray."  
"Evening Doctor." I walked up to him quickly, a smile on my face.  
"So…" he blew out a puff of condensation in to the cool air "How have you been?"  
"Hanging on, hanging on." I looked behind him and then cast my eyes around "No companion?"  
His eyebrows curved inwards as he gazed out to the river "No."  
I wandered over to the concrete wall and rested my hands on its smooth surface. "This wall's probably been here for as long as I've lived. "  
"Sorry to disappoint," the Doctor informed me, joining my quest to hold up the crumbling mass "but it was built in 1990."  
"1990? They must be the same people that made country roads in England!" I joked, tempting up a small laugh from my friend. "So, why are you here, my fellow lonely wander?"  
"I think you've already worked that out, you're a clever girl."  
I exhaled as he turned away, eyes not quite masking the pain in his eyes. "Eight."  
"What?" he wasn't listening then.  
"Eight. I've seen her eight times."  
"Oh."  
"You miss her. You refuse to admit to _it _but you felt it, didn't you. I understand."  
"Do you?" he inquired absent-mindedly  
"Yeah, I may not move around in space but believe me, I move through time and I am finding it so hard to _live_, really live and _enjoy _life."  
He turned his deep eyes on me and said what a small part of me will always hope will be said many a time "Well then, do you want to take a spin?"  
"Oh, always." I said as I practically ran towards the TARDIS.

**Simon's PoV**

So, I must have stood at the entrance to the Institute for about five years by the time Luke finally came through the portal carrying the (once again) comatose Mrs Fray. Quickly, I drew out my mobile and tried to remember Magnus' number.  
"Hurry up!" Luke snapped, eyes flashing startlingly.  
"I can't remember his number." This would _never _happen in the movies.  
Luke growled "Call Alec or Jace then."  
"Oh yeah." Fingers slightly shaky, I dialled Jace's number (and no, I don't call him regularly he just has my old phone because he's finally decided Mundanes aren't so bad yet he will not fork out a tenner for a simple brick).

After an age of ringing, Iz's brother answered sleepily "Hello."I suppose it was about twelve, judging by the moon and all.  
"We, being Simon, Luke and Jocelyn, " Shadowhunters get angry when you don't give them enough detail "need Magnus quickly because the aforementioned Mrs Fray is sort of nearly dead and pumped full of de…" Luke glared at me. "So basically, if you could bring Magnus and Clary that would be amazing."  
"If I can tear Sparkles away from his cat, which he is cuddling in his sleep like a teddy bear, " yeah, like _someone_ doesn't sleep with weapons (friends talk, friends talk) "Clary, however, might be a problem."  
It was just one of those days. "Why?"  
"She, most likely -but don't tell Lady Grey I said this- has been kidnapped along with Alec by…"  
"Sebastian." I spat, finally letting out my stress.  
"Bang on the button." Jace confirmed grimly.  
Pinching the bridge of my nose, my only reply was "Sod it, just everyone come and explain all this."  
I hung up before he could answer.

Twenty minutes later and Mrs Fray was, thankfully, still alive because they finally arrived in a battered silver car. For once in my life all business, I strode up to it as they piled out, my eyes lingering on Izzy. She was clad in tight black Lycra looking like cat woman but sexier. My mouth was suddenly very dry.  
"So, where is she?" asked Magnus, drawing my gaze away and hers from me.  
"This way." I motioned for them to follow then took off around the side of the Institute, towards where Jocelyn was now laying prone on the floor. Magnus advanced and then shooed the rest of us away to the place Jace had bargained with me before the events of Alicante.

Before I could demand an explanation, Izzy turned to Jace and said "Go away, I need to speak to him."  
Jace's face wrinkled up at the same time that I'm pretty sure mine lit up. "Oh," he said "I'll be sure to go while you 'talk'."  
We didn't look twice at his retreating back as we embraced.  
"I missed you." I heard as I she kisses my ear "but don't breath a word of this to anyone."  
"Ok." I breathe as I grab her soft satin hair and run my fingers through it, pressing our faces together and kissing her passionately. Izzy runs her hands up my chest and along my back and my fingers roam across her face and shoulders. Feeling turned on and brave, I caress the gap between her breasts, making her gasp.  
"I love it when you play dirty." She says from the back of her throat, pulling off my t-shirt and then grabbing my ears, which hurts a bit, but she kisses them better. I reach tentatively for her blouse but, impatient, she whips it off anyway. I let out a low moan type thing when confronted with her scanty bra and the beautiful curve of her body…

**Jace's PoV**

I'd been walking around the Institute's garden for a while, but unusually it hadn't given me any peace or helped me think at all. Although I didn't like to admit it, I was getting very worried about Clary especially but Alec as well. I had been thinking it through in the car and, once my mind had caught up with itself, it occurred to me that it didn't make sense for Sebastian to want Alec in any way. So, if he was aiming for someone else, I had a small fear that he would kill my brother in frustration. On the other hand, I didn't feel anything in my rune, therefore it couldn't have happened. I was left, though, with the question of for whom Sebastian was aiming for in the first place, which could mean we were at imminent risk of invasion. With that thought, I began to make my way back to civilisation.

The only reason I could fathom that_ he_ would want _my _Clary is that he still had the cup and wanted her to drink from it; the picture of my girlfriend, usually so full of life and free will, as a slave to an evil master and dead inside was very unpleasant. I knew she would put up a fight, of course, but that didn't make me feel any easier- if anything it made me even more concerned as I know as well as anyone that Sebastian does not take too kindly to those who put up a fight.

It was at that point that I rounded a corner to see my adoptive sister and the love of my life's best friend who, by the way, is a rat faced vampire, with their tops off.  
"Isabelle!"  
"Jace!" she replied, equally disgusted.  
"Do you have to do it in front of me?"  
"You walked in on us!" she yells at the same time Vampire reminds me that "We were here first!"  
"Ok, then- do you have to do it?"  
"We haven't done it yet." Complains Izzy.  
"Yet?" I practically yell, forgetting Simon was there.  
"Let's calm down," said idiot intercedes before the situation could devolve in to civil war "and you can tell me where on Earth Clary is."  
"We're beginning to think she isn't on Earth." Izzy supplies glumly as I launch in to the story so far, pacing backwards and forwards as I do so, trying to iron out my anxiety. Because the great Jace Lightwood doesn't get nervous. No, he would never sift through the possibilities in his mind as he stands in a garden at half past twelve hoping against hope that nothing bad has happened to her yet. Never.


	13. Chapter 13- Electric, Baby

**A/N: I don't own anything except plot. Reviews would be greatly appreciated to tell my where (because it is probably an issue of where more than if) I'm going wrong. **

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Chapter 13

**Magnus' PoV**

That night Alec and I had been planning to spend a night in my apartment curled up to fend off the encroaching winter cold, hair ruffled by sweet kisses as opposed to a chilly wind. We thought it would make a change from usual. But no, I'm in said freezing wind, already drained both emotionally and physically, tending to a half dead old friend whose charming daughter just so happens to be missing with my idiot boyfriend. Fantabedose. It would be nice if Tessa was here, she would be able to perform state of the art human first aid whereas I am constrained by the shackles of my magic. Not to mention, my freakish friend is a very good glamorous assistant.

As I pumped healing and restoring energy through Jocelyn's broken burned and ruptured veins, I thought about how I met Tessa, the grimy, smoggy streets of London and the privileged areas that were my kingdom. I reminisced about William Herondale and his many similarities to Jace, except I preferred Will. Having said that, my boyfriend's Parabaiti is growing on me. On the other hand, some things he does annoy the heck out of me such as then, when I felt a life form prowl up to me.  
"I'll hand it to you, "I told him antagonistically "you have a stage presence. But unless you want me to turn this woman here in to a zombie, you should stop breathing down my neck."  
"Why do you always push people away? Like Alec, why do you push him away- it's obvious you love him?" he asks stiffly but with a familiar thirst to know behind the words.  
Shocked, I pause for a few heavy seconds "Child," the word slips out before I can stop it, briefly transported to a time in which the teen behind me would still be learning the ropes "immortality is a burden. At first, once you are in your early twenties you think it is cool- you think you're bullet proof, and eternal youth? So long mother I'm going to travel the world! Then you lose your fire and you start to drift. Let me tell you, boy, drifting is not fun. So you start to form attachments again to anchor yourself. Then, they die and you are faced with the prospect of drifting again. What do you think you do?"

"Make friends." He states like it is _so_ easy.  
In reply I gestured at Jocelyn's body "It's not easy and although you drift it saves the pain. Because drifting makes you numb."  
Jace's brow furrowed "Would you not rather feel than not." I sighed "Well, Tessa- she doesn't push people away as such."  
"I'm not her," I clarified "but I think she prefers to be always on the move, rushing backwards and forth. Tessa has always been an action person, living her life like a book or a film because emotions scare her. She _does _push peoples away, just not me because we're in the same boat." I said, satisfied. Tessa has always been a good friend to me "She pushes you away because you remind her of Will but- don't get too pig-headed- she does actually like you a bit."~  
"How'd you know?" Jace smirks.  
"I've known her a while."

**Clary's PoV**

I felt the blade enter my body, ripping through my flesh and snapping taught muscle fibres, letting leash a river of crimson blood. I curled in on myself, trying numbly to stem the flow, a quite part of me mildly curios as to what heaven feels like, tastes like and possibly more sanely looks like. I don't realise I am falling until Alec catches me and I stop. It feels more like floating, drifting upwards, and then I realise I'm flat and for a precious moment I am confused. Then the pain comes. Pain, harsh, insistent, fills the silence, ripping me apart and shattering my barriers. I find myself crying although I'm not sure that that is me. Just when my vision clouds and I know I am no more I feel warmth. Pleasant warmth, placating the raging pain and radiating throughout my body. It is rejuvenating, exhilarating. Soon, my vision fills with a perfect gold, so pure I feel I have to look away, although I can't. It all dies away and I feel glorious, breathless and my body is covered in a dull ache, but amazing.

An hour later, Sebastian returned, sweeping in to the cell with a fake mournful look and a gleeful glint in his eyes, like a child caught burning ants with a magnifying glass. That look swiftly changed to one of frustration, surprise and suspicion when he set eyes on me, very much alive and ticking. I was about to give him a smart remark but before I could I found myself being frog marched out of the cell and through several corridors. Hurriedly, I tried to remember them- left right, left, left, left, right, left, right, straight on, right, left and finally straight on and through an electronically secure door into a large circular room.

The curved walls were made of sheet metal, glinting malevolently at me as I surveyed the area. The floor was solid reinforced concrete, unbreakable, there was only one combined entrance and exit and that was manned by two burly, formidable guards. The only furniture in the area was a wooden chair, complete with meandering wires and sinister looking liquids in plastic vials. I had just walked in to a torture chamber with no escape.

Roughly, Sebastian shoved me on to the chair, barley giving my time to whip around before he clamped my arms to that of the chair and my legs together and to a convenient pole down the middle.  
"Tell me how you did it." He growled, advancing on me.  
"Did what? I've done many things." I tried to inject as much acid and contempt in to the statement as physically possible while being tied to a torture chair. A sharp pain radiated across my cheek when his hand met mine.  
"I'm not in the mood for your games, little sister." He snarled, stalking over to a plug socket in the wall and connecting it. "So, I've decided to do it old-school."  
I gulped, apprehensive, "Well, you've been watching mafia films haven't you."  
He was not amused. "One last chance. Tell me."  
"I don't know why I started glowing." I ground out, trying to check my fear.  
"Not good enough." He snarled, twisting a knob on a control box.  
My muscles locked, hot fire filled my veins, my teeth wrestled with each other and my hands gripped the armrests like there was no tomorrow. Electrocution. I think I screamed.  
"I'm just getting started!" my demonic sibling laughed.

**Luke's PoV**

I sat, stiff backed and hands clenched, as I stared at the device on the kitchen work surface, internally kicking myself for not keeping track of people better. I would have to tell the others about this later, they wouldn't like it.


	14. Chapter 14- Terminal Velocity

**A/N: Thanks to anyone who displayed the slightest interest in this story (i.e. people who Followed, Favourite-d, reviewed or even just read it.) A few words of review would be good but enjoy! I don't own anything **

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Chapter Fourteen

**Tessa's PoV**

I held on to the control panel tightly, teeth gritted and body shaking like a cocktail "What's happening?" I asked, or rather demanded over the roar of the engine.  
"We appear to be experiencing some turbulence!" replied the Doctor.  
"You don't say?" I've become quite snarky over time "Anything I can do?"  
"Not really!" The Doctor yelled.  
"Don't you dare dump me on to the Brookline Bridge." I warned the time machine as it slowed, obviously having other ideas. With something akin to a sigh, the TARDIS carried on for a time before it's blue doors flew open, expelling me in to the icy and polluted air over 21st century Williamsburg. Like a parachute jumper, I spread my arms and legs out; luckily I was wearing a time appropriate mediaeval cloak which helped me reach terminal velocity. Therefore, I didn't die when I came crashing through Luke Garroway's living room ceiling.

"What the hell?" someone exclaimed, a male, sounded like Jace.  
"Tessa?" asked Magnus, surprised.  
"_That_ was an entrance." A girl laughed, probably Isabelle.  
"I'll pay for that." I promised a gobsmacked werewolf-who was staring at me incredulously-; gesturing vaguely above me "You don't happen to have a first aid kit do you? Preferably one with a large amount of painkillers" I gasped, the shock wearing off and my broken ribs becoming more apparent.  
"I have a first aid kit, don't move." Luke replied, sweeping out of the room.  
"Thank you." I called after him, trying not to ingest too much of his sheepskin rug.  
A few minutes later Luke returned with a small green plastic box with writing on- an average small injuries first aid kit.  
"I hate to say this," I groaned, a viper constricting around my lungs "but I don't think that's quite going to cut it. Especially if it's an official first aid kit because you won't be allowed to give me painkillers."  
"Oh, come here honey." Magnus said, kneeling down next to me and resting his cool hands on my back. I stifled a gasp as I felt the warmth of healing seep through me and my broken bones jerk back in to place and knit themselves together again, tendrils of marrow plaiting themselves as one.

A while later I was sat on the sofa with a cup of tea, my cold hands wrapped around the mug. I grimaced apologetically at Luke "I really am so sorry about your ceiling. And your roof actually, I'll pay to have them both fixed. I was going to check in and see how you were doing, actually but I was intending on using the front door, unfortunately for your insurance policy the TARDIS decided I would make more of an impression doing a comet impression but maybe that's just because we made a quick jaunt to see Galileo and it must've given her ideas." I was babbling in my embarrassment and I realised the general populous of the room were staring at me, befuddled "I'll just shut up now." I conceded.

"Well," Luke exhaled and shook his head as if to clear it "now you're here" he looked ruefully up at the ceiling and I cast my eyes down "we may as well get you up to speed."  
He was about to continue when a scream ripped through the quiet suburban street. For some reason, everybody's heads whipped towards a small white device on the coffee table, rectangular with rounded edges, two speakers on the front and a shining silver Ariel protruding from the top.  
Everyone's eyes except Jace's, whose went to the house next door. "It wasn't… _that_." He said quietly "It was from next door. It was a child being abused." His voice was laced with pain, his face pale. He was feeling sympathetic. He was also glowing, a charge seeming to gather at his fingertips. Jace's eyebrows shot up in synchronisation with his hand, which reached to the left. All the lights in the room died. A twisting flux of pure gold flew from his hand and through the wall to, I presume, the abuser or the abused next door. Almost as soon as it started, it was finished, the lights in the room returned to a normal steady glow and Jace lowered his hand slowly, his face a similar mix of shock and confusion as ours. My brow furrowed. _The plot thickens… _

**Alec's PoV**

I waited in the room for what felt like hours, nervously pacing. I could imagine what Sebastian wanted to do to Clary and that was enough to set my hair on end. Eventually, she returned. She was pale and shaking, not strong at all. She fell forwards, almost uncontrollably, and hit the bed, where she lay in a ball trembling.  
"Just… give… me …a moment." Her voice was as thin as a pin "Electrocution…does…this…to…a person"  
I wasn't sure what electrocution was, but I supposed it had to do with putting electricity in to someone and I know that can't be a good thing. It had obviously taken its toll on Clary. Tentatively, I sat down next to her. Lightly as a feather, I placed my hand on her bony shoulder. She sniffed. I wished Jace was here to comfort his girlfriend, but then again maybe it was best that he was outside trying to get us back as opposed to here delivering all his pent up rage to Sebastian and getting himself seriously maimed or killed in the process.

Another shudder passed through my companion and my mind was brought to another serious issue. Food and drink. Or rather our lack thereof. We'd been in the cell for about two days, was my guess, and it was proving to be the best (or rather worst) diet in the world. I'd lost a lot of weight with the stress and lack of calories to replace the energy I spent pacing. Sebastian was going to bring us sustenance, I guessed, but we angered him so he's not. Vindictive bastard. I could tell by the horrible retching and ghost like pallor of Clary that her empty stomach was both a blessing and a curse but for me the hollow feeling was mainly a curse.  
"We need food." I stated quietly.  
I wasn't expecting a reply but she did, although weakly "Yeah. Look, Alec, if we could just keep this to ourselves…"  
I glanced at her worried and oddly embarrassed face and I saw myself when I was younger, hating that everyone thought I was weak and wanting to hide in a shell as people gave me pitying looks when I displayed that weakness. "Ok, we'll keep this quiet."

**Jace's PoV**

After the brief panic subsequent to my little display of divine intervention, because that is what it must have been, we brought Lady Grey up to speed on recent events (quietly shying away from any mention of where in heaven and hell _she'd _been). Those events included the box or the Torture FM as I hate to call it. Torture FM appeared on Luke's kitchen table this morning, which, in itself was disturbing; but what was really worrying was the sounds coming from it- Sebastian's voice and…  
"Clary's agonised screams?"  
My voice was rough as I answered "Yes."  
"Oh."  
"Yes, 'oh', Miss I'm-An-Amazing-Spy." Mature, I know, but I was tired.  
She rolled her eyes "Have you tried tracking it?" she whispered, covering the device with cushions before doing so.  
"N-" I began but Tessa put a finger to her lips hastily to silence me. I shook my head.  
Izzy put up her hand and waved it in front of the spy. Fumbling about in her coat, she produced a small notepad and passed it to my sister, who whipped up a pen and scribbled something down. She held it up and I read '**But you can't track electronic objects, the charge messes up Magnus' magic**'.  
Tessa reached over and took the pad. **I wasn't intending to use magic. I am an amazing spy, you know. **She shot me a smirk as she began to write down a plan.


End file.
